Jeremiah 31:14

And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the LORD.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

31:10-17 He that scattered Israel, knows where to find them. It is comfortable to observe the goodness of the Lord in the gifts of providence. But our souls are never valuable as gardens, unless watered with the dews of God's Spirit and grace. A precious promise follows, which will not have full accomplishment except in the heavenly Zion. Let them be satisfied of God's loving-kindness, and they will be satisfied with it, and desire no more to make them happy. Rachel is represented as rising from her grave, and refusing to be comforted, supposing her offspring rooted out. The murder of the children at Bethlehem, by Herod, Mt 2:16-18, in some degree fulfilled this prediction, but could not be its full meaning. If we have hope in the end, concerning an eternal inheritance, for ourselves and those belonging to us, all temporal afflictions may be borne, and will be for our good.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Both gives the idea of the men dancing, which is incorrect. Except at a religious solemnity 2 Samuel 6:14, dancing was confined to women. Render and young men and old rejoice together.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

14. my goodness—(Jer 31:12).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

By

priests some understand the ministers of the gospel, whom God here promiseth liberally to provide for; or rather, by giving a success to their ministry, and letting them see the fruit of their labours, make to rejoice: in which metaphorical sense I should rather interpret it, applying it first to the priests of the Jews after the captivity, of whom it is said, Ezra 6:16, that they kept the feast of the dedication of the second temple with joy; and Ezra 6:22, the Lord had made the people joyful. Nor were the people for a short time only satisfied with the Lord’s goodness. In a secondary typical sense it may also signify the spiritual success and rejoicing of good ministers under the gospel, and the spiritual joy of believers. This rejoicing is metaphorically expressed by fatness, with allusion to the rift of the sacrifices under the law. It is a usual thing for God by his prophets to express New Testament duties and privileges by phrases borrowed from the worship of God under the Old Testament. See Isaiah 66:22,23.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness,.... Meaning either the ministers of the Gospel, who should not only be liberally provided for as to their maintenance, which is too low a sense; but filled with spiritual good things, with the doctrines of the Gospel, and a comfortable experience of them, that they may be able to feed others with knowledge and understanding; or since, under the Gospel dispensation, there is no such distinct order of men under the name of priests, but all the saints are made kings and priests to God, they may be here meant, as follows:

and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord; to which they are said to flow; see Gill on Jeremiah 31:12. But, lest it should be thought that there would be no manner of trouble and affliction in those times, two instances, as follow, are given; the one at the beginning, and the other towards the close of them, expressive of distress; one on temporal, the other on spiritual accounts.

Geneva Study Bible

And I will abundantly satisfy the soul of the priests with {s} fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the LORD.

(s) Meaning, the spirit of wisdom, knowledge and zeal.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

14. satiate] lit. water.

the soul of the priests with fatness] The sacrifices shall be so numerous that the priests and their families shall have more than enough for their share. The priest’s portion was the wave-breast and heave-shoulder (Leviticus 7:31-34). For the soul considered as the seat of desire, cp. Jeremiah 22:28, and in this case of eagerness for food, appetite, Isaiah 56:11, “greedy dogs,” lit. “strong of soul.”

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 14. - And I will satiate; literally, water (same word as in Psalm 36:8). The "fatness" means the fat parts of the thank offerings, which were given to the priests (Leviticus 7:34). Satisfied. "Satiated" would be a happier rendering. The word is different from that rendered "satiate" just above. Jeremiah 31:14

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The priests and the people will refresh themselves with the fat, i.e., the fat pieces of the thank-offerings, because numerous offerings will be presented to the Lord in consequence of the blessing received from Him.